


Cyan

by Ari_to_Levi_Sama, Teal_Lein (Lein_Honey)



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: 'Humanities Last Hope' by AwsomeKiller666, Also dedicated to Edwardelrichistheawesomeness, BAMF Eren, BAMF levi, Based loosely off of other fanwork, I don't really care that much though, I'm not great at writing violence but I shall try, I'm starting to notice a trend with the Titan hair thing, M/M, Other, Rogue is badass Eren, Tall Eren Yeager, Titan-Haired Eren Yeager, Younger Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), and fluff, for their work Hush Now, idk how to tag, it's Jaeger not Yaeger, like 6'0 as usual, lots of smut, only in private with Eren, or writing at all really, sort of cute Levi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-09
Updated: 2016-11-09
Packaged: 2018-08-30 00:27:07
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 11
Words: 12,313
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8511703
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ari_to_Levi_Sama/pseuds/Ari_to_Levi_Sama, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lein_Honey/pseuds/Teal_Lein
Summary: This is basically a story in the setting of the No Regrets ova, in which Eren is known as Rogue in the Underground, and he and Levi are two badasses in love.DISCONTINUED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE. DO NOT COPYWill be re-made and posted on another account (name above).





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Awsomekiller666](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Awsomekiller666/gifts), [Edwardelrichistheawesomeness](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=Edwardelrichistheawesomeness).



> As usual, my writing skills suck, but I shall post what my eyes wish to read from better authors.  
> I fucking love Rogue and Titan haired Eren, and there needs to be more of those types of fics

"Rogue" was what people called him.

 

He guesses, considering what people have dubbed others here, in the Underground, that it wasn't such a bad nickname. He kind of liked it. Had a nice ring to it. And it didn't deharmonize with his appearance, either, which was nice, he guesses.

 

Not as nice as just picking up what he had and just leaving, but you take what you can get, he guesses. Plus, he imagines it'd be a slight problem for him to roam around in a place he isn't familiar with, wearing no military uniform but having 3DMG, and _not_  drag attention towards yourself. Not like he doesn't, already.

 

Not a lot of people knew that _he_  was Rogue, but those who did tended to either be dead, or not want anything to do with him. He was so enigmatic, though. He had a sort of look to him. He was exotic looking to the people living in the Underground, what with his dark skin, tall, lean muscles, and teal eyes with gold swirling around his retinas. It got him a lot of stares, which he _hated_.

 

"Rogue" wasn't what people would call a social butterfly. At all. No, he had a _"if-you-so-much-as-look-at-wrong-I-will-end-you"_ look on his face. Or a deadly calm (or very content) emotion, if you could call it that. He never had any emotional attachment to anyone. He tried to keep as far from people as he could.

 

People meant emotions, and emotions hadn't lead him anywhere good in his life before. He wasn't willing to give up what could be his only life to try out and see if he and a prostitute or a fellow thug could be the equivalent of a married couple.

 

No, maybe in another life he could try that road out.

 

It didn't sound bad, per se. Being in love and having someone be as in love with you as you are with them, it sounds nice. Having someone to fall back on, to hold, to cherish. He wouldn't _really_  mind it.

 

He just doesn't want someone he could end up cherishing, or at the very least care for, end up getting hurt because of him. Whether it being a friend or a lover, he knows that they would end up hurt one way or another. It's what happened to his poor mother. Goddess forbid that feeling he went through happens again.

 

He had felt enough of those emotions for just this life. He doesn't need to see someone else he adores dead body lying in his arms.

 

 

 

 

 

It wasn't odd for him to see a bruised, battered body on a street corner, or in an alleyway. In fact, it was almost odd to _not_  see one. Or a drug dealer. Or a prostitute. But this one was unmistakably beautiful underneath the bruises and cuts and dirt.

 

It was a boy, who was rather feminine looking, despite the clothes he wore. Black hair and pale skin could be seen underneath the ugly injuries. His head was bent forwards on his bent knees, making him look even smaller and frailer, a mistake that should not be made in the Underground.

 

He walks towards the boy, stopping in front of him. The figure in front of him seems to realize someone is hovering over them, and sharply lifts his head and hand, revealing a knife and a gorgeous face. Maybe "Rogue" should change that whole 'no love for me' rule.

 

He has a dirty face, a large bruise on his left cheek, but that doesn't change the fact that he is beautiful. Pale, soft looking skin. It compliments well with his raven hair. And don't get "Rogue" started on his blueish-grey eyes.

 

"Rogue" bends down in front of the lad, locking his gold infused teal eyes with the slanted, glaring orbs in front of him. His head tilts to the side, long dark brown hair falling to the side. "Do you want help?" He asks, voice a little gruff from not talking much. The boy's eyes narrow in what "Rogue" guesses to be confusion and wariness.

 

His grip on the, rather sharp, knife tightens. "Who's asking?" He answers back. His voice is smooth, deep and utterly wondrous. "Rogue" could bask in the loveliness.

 

"People call me 'Rogue'," he says, moving slightly closer to the smaller male, smirking down at the widened eyes of absolute youthful beauty.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, if someone can find the fic that Eren's Doll is based on, I'd love to dedicate it to that author (thanks to the person who commented about that other one, tho) (loved your profile pic).  
> I have a good idea of what I want in this fic, so I won't be one of those people who take other people's fics and basically just rewrite it in their own words, so if someone can suggest other works like this one, that'd be great

'Rogue' stood up slowly from his crouch in front of the, seemingly younger, male beauty.

 

He, for some reason, wished to know the other's name. He wanted to know everything about the other person, everything he hated (other than the obvious), everything he loved about life.

 

His favorite colour, if he had a middle name. His dreams, his aspirations. It suprised 'Rogue' immensely how he felt from just looking at this person whom he would've just walked on by without looking back at had it not been for his keen eyesight for all things beautiful.

 

The boy didn't loosen his grip on the knife in his grasp, nor the fierce glare. He has spunk, but he didn't hide his emotions very well. If he came with him, 'Rogue' would have to teach him better survival skills than what he had, quite obviously, been taught.

 

No one here would wield a weapon like him and not be bluffing about knowing how to use it.

 

'Rogue' saw the blue-grey eyes full of wariness look over him as quickly as he could without giving 'Rogue' the chance to attack, which he could've either way. 'Rogue' didn't receive the reputation he got from just his looks.

 

When the boy looked back into his  own teal-gold, he could see that the scrawny little thing was giving him a chance to prove his trust right then.

 

'Rogue' bent down, handing him his own two knives he had stolen when he was younger, sharpening and cleaning the blades every night before he had his one to four hours of sleep.

 

Slanted orbs widened slightly, seeming to go as big as they could. 'Rogue' felt as though the boy had the slightest bit of that dying Asian gene in him, but his accent had undertones in the common one almost everyone had in the Underground.

 

The boy slowly, but steadily, latched onto the knives, keeping perfect, non-breaking eye contact with the larger man. He put them on the sides of his drawstring pants, before 'Rogue' stopped him.

 

"It'd be very easy for me to get those back if you keep those there. You should put them in those boots of yours, that's where they were meant to be carried," 'Rogue' says, ghost of a smile on his face when he sees the boy blush then do as he said, keeping his own blade securely in his hand.

 

The boy stood up, dusting himself off with a disgusted look on his face, then turned to 'Rogue'. He saw the last two seconds of the almost smile, wishing he could've seen the real thing on the gorgeous face before him.

 

He knew who "Rogue" was, even before he saw the face. It was just, seeing him in person made him, well, _real_.

 

It made Levi feel stupid, thinking such things, but feeling how his heart beat had quickened more than when he was on a 'run' or was (trying to) getting mugged, and what felt like his stomach itself trying to move like a baby in a woman's stomach, made him wonder if he had a thing for powerful men.

 

Because the one in front of him looked _immensely_  powerful. So tall, and all of those lean muscles under soft looking tan skin, and having hair that looked so long and wild...

 

Yeah, he was definitely gay. At least, he was feeling romantic towards "Rogue".

 

 

 

 

 

'Rogue' lead the younger lad towards his secluded home that was a little farther out from the rest of the Underground residents. Neither talked, just walked with each other side by side, as if almost waiting for the other to make a move.

 

Levi's eyes widened again when he saw 'Rogue's' home. It looked quite beautiful, possible the most beautiful things in the Underground he's seen other than his mother. He looked up at 'Rogue' in surprise, wondering how he would've been able to find such a place here.

 

"This is my families old home," the man said, walking forward, not waiting to see if Levi would follow. He scampered to hurry towards the other's side, feeling like a lost puppy.

 

The other seemed to notice the same as well, that ghost of a smile appearing again. He opened the door to open a, basically, large one bedroom home, with a large bed laying on the floor against the wall opposite the door, a fireplace and pot holder two meters away from it, a door most likely leading to a bathroom on the other side.

 

It looked comfy, but awfully lonely, Levi thought. He looked up to see 'Rogue' taking off his boots, leaving them by the door, then walking into the bathroom to wash his hands. Levi followed after the older's actions, walking slowly and unsurely to where the other man was.

 

'Rogue' looked up at Levi, looking him up and down, then nodding to himself, as if glad that Levi had taken off his footwear and went to wash his hands.

 

"You may take a shower, then a bath, not the other way, unless you want to sit in your own filth. I'll give you a few towels and some clothes, but they'll be big on you," he said, seeing Levi wash his hands thoroughly then hold onto his knife again, although holding it slightly less tightly.

 

"Where's my knives?" 'Rogue' asked, head tilting slightly, eyebrows furrowing slightly. Levi swallowed the lump suddenly in his throat, worried he'd disappointed the man in front of him for some reason.

 

"I left them next to our shoes. I imagine you'd like to clean them, so I didn't leave them anywhere that looked cleaner than the mat," Levi said, keeping his eyes on the big, although half-lidded, eyes trained keenly on him, making him feel self conscious.

 

That ghost of a smile appeared for the third time, making 'Rogue' slightly worried about his rule about falling for someone. "Good, ..."

 

Levi didn't fill in the space intended for his name, so he bowed his head forward ever so slightly, but 'Rogue' notices it, feeling suddenly warm inside at the action.

 

He mimics it, then leaves the room to find clothes that would be small on him, hoping that Levi wouldn't come to ever feel pain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The thing is with this fic, I imagine Levi to be (right now) at the age of fifteen, and before people call out the pedo alarm, that age is the legal age in the aot verse, and in a lot of countries, so don't go all anon-Tumblr-hate on me, bcus I will not hesitate to spam you with Eren/Levi smut (the good, kinky kind, like the kind that will most /definitely/ be in here).  
> Right now it's also before Levi met Isabel and Farlan, too.  
> Here's the cottage I imagined would be perfect for my gay babies  
> (http://cdn.home-designing.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Cottage-in-forrest-house-hansel-and-Gretel.jpg)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *receiving weird looks from family members because your listening to your k-pop playlist too loud*  
> *sighs*  
> Hope you enjoy, comments make my shitty days better

Starting the shower, making sure the temperature wasn't too hot nor too cold, "Rogue" looks behind him towards the younger male. 

 

He's just awkwardly standing in the bathroom doorway, twirling his long, black fringe nervously with his long fingers. "Rogue" would have to cut his hair, it's much too long, and the look doesn't suit him quite right...

 

When did he start to think the other male would want to stay with him? Fuck, "Rogue" didn't even know the shitty brat's name! 

 

Sighing, before standing, hearing his bones crack and pop in a painfully delicious relief, he turns to look at the smaller male face to face. 

 

"Are you going to stand there and dirty up my hallway and waste my hot water, or are you going to wash your ass and put those towels and clothes I got you to use?" He says, almost wincing at the sharp tone of his voice. He doesn't say that the clothes were the smallest size he had, and yet they'd be far from a perfect fit for the ravenette. 

 

He walks out of the bathroom at the jerky nod he receives, trying to ignore the dejected face looking strictly at the floor. What the fuck is _wrong_ with him? Yelling at some poor boy that he was helping, just because he found him attractive? 

 

He sighs, boiling water in the pot over the now roaring fire. After a few minutes, he puts rice in, making a larger batch for the, "Rogue" is guessing, starving boy. He doesn't try to listen to the sounds emitting from behind the bathroom door. No need to go full pervert mode.

 

After the rice is finished cooking, he places the amount into one large bowl, placing two smaller ones on opposite sides of the small table close to the fireplace, placing chopsticks next to the bowls and glasses of water on the opposite side. 

 

He feels ridiculous. Was he seriously starting to get so nervous because of some brat that he started to get out the nicest china he had to serve said, admittedly gorgeous, and seemingly perfect, brat? 

 

He sighed heavily, head hanging low, hands gripping his long hair rather tightly. He heard the water in the shower stop, after a long time, the bathroom going quiet. He had left lotion and face moisturizer he had found that he knew was for the Royal family, smelling like what the bottle had described as 'petrichor'. 

 

He couldn't help but hope the boy liked it. He looked the type to smell like 'natural, real rain water'. 

 

Fuck, he needed to learn this kid's name. 

 

After an even longer time period, the small ravenette emerged out from the bathroom, dressed in a white longsleeve shirt that reached his thighs, and "Rogue's" only sweatpants, that were rolled up. His hair was still dripping, but looked brushed (hopefully he saw the spare brush "Rogue" had left out on the counter...), cheeks flushed adorably, and just looked even more pretty, even with the stray faded bruises and cuts.

 

"Rogue" waved a hand towards the opposite side of the table, seeing blueish-grey eyes widen at the large amount of white sticky rice and fresh water on perfectly clean dishes. 

 

He sat on folded legs, thin black eyebrows furrowed in utter confusion. "Why are you doing this for me?" He asked, voice sounding like it was on the verge of breaking. "Rogue" wished to bring the younger in his arms to hold tightly. 

 

_Because I desire to take care of you,_ he wished to say, but that would be moving _way_ too fast. 

 

"How old are you?" He says instead, head tilted to the side again. The other looked wary, looking at each and every one of "Rogue's" features, before looking like he just gave up. As if he accepted the idea of "Rogue" doing this for his own dastardly intentions. 

 

He shruggs before saying in his quiet tone of voice, "Sixteen, if I'm guessing the date right," but it sounded more like _'I have no actual idea how old I am'._  

 

"Rogue" scowls before answering the other's question. "I can't let some kid whose bruised and obviously starving be dirty and cold in some alleyway."

 

"You do this for every kid you see then?" The boy asks sarcastically, one eyebrow raised high. 

 

"Rogue" rolls his eyes. "No, because usually I have food in a bag that I give them, because I have a few regulars coming to me begging for food," he answers, before pouring black, spicy smelling sauce over his rice, eating slowly as if to savor the flavor. 

 

He looks over at the other whose looking at his own bowl awkwardly. "You going to eat it with your mind?" He asks after swallowing his mouthful of flavored rice, looking over at the sauce bottle. 

 

"Would you like some sauce before you finish your bowl?" He asks, continuing his teasing. The boy scowls before he looks over at said bottle. 

 

"It smells familiar," he mutters, as if the scent reminds him of something. 

 

"Rogue" shrugs before pouring a little more into his bowl.

 

"Just fucking eat already before I get malnourished from looking at you, brat."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These two are so awkward... Like, I want the badass love story to move forward, get to the good part, but these two are like 'nooo, we want a slowbuuiiiild!'  
> Whatever. I like leaving my chapters in the middle of conversations, I've noticed. If anyone has any requests for this or anything else, they're always welcome.  
> 'Till next time, darlings! ^^


	4. Chapter 4

After washing the dishes, "Rogue" thought about what the sleeping arrangements would be.

 

A part of him wanted to suggest that they sleep together, but then the rational part of his brain said _no, fucktard._  

 

Another part didn't want the boy to let him sleep on his, rather comfortable, mattress, but "Rogue" wasn't a complete asshole; his mother instilled manners in his system before she died when he was a child. 

 

The boy just sat awkwardly at the small table like before, fingering his long fringe like before in the bathroom, probably coming to terms with what has happened. "Rogue" wishes to know if it was just today or his whole life that he was reminiscing at this moment.

 

"Brat," "Rogue" _so lovingly_ calls out, the boy showing an expression that said he thought the same. 

 

"Would you like to sleep on the bed?" He asks, pointing a finger lazily behind the small ravenette when he was met with a confused stare from silver orbs. 

 

"..."

 

"What, you thought I'd kick you out as soon as you finished digesting your meal that rivals the Capital's?" "Rogue" asks, annoyance creeping into his voice. The boy flinches slightly, the second time the man before him has had actual emotion thread with his words. 

 

"I don't know...," the boy mutters. "Rogue" wants to be annoyed by the mumbling, but the male in front of him resembles a kitten too much for his own good. 

 

"How have you survived this long?" "Rogue" asks, not really meaning to say that outloud. Blue tinted silver eyes widen, before looking down again rejectedly. 

 

 _Fucking shit, stop doing that!_  

 

He sighs, bringing a hand to run through dark brown locks, before thinking his actions through. 

 

"How about we start with a name so I don't keep thinking 'boy'?" He says, crossing arms over his broad chest, eyebrow raised high. 

 

The younger looks over him, up and down, looking closely at his covered ears, having not seen them the whole time he's been in "Rogue's" presence.

 

His eyes soften slightly, before meeting teal-gold.

 

"Levi."

 

"Name would suit you better if you cut that hair," "Rogue" says. Levi wants to say it back, but the hair does fit with the nickname. 

 

He brings slender fingers to his now, blackberry smelling, soft hair, feeling silky for probably the first time in his life. 

 

"Would it?" He whispers. His mother never got the chance to cut either of their hair.

 

"Rogue" nods slightly, watching the bo--- _Levi,_  "Rogue" reminds himself, wistful expression. 

 

Levi thinks about his mother, what he can remember, before looking up at "Rogue".

 

"What's _your_ name?" Levi asks. "I'm sure 'Rogue' isn't your real name." "Rogue" knew the question was bound to come up, but he wasn't sure he wanted his real name to be known, especially considering his rapid liking to Levi. 

 

"Why do you want to know?" He asks instead. Levi gives him a _'what-do-you-fucking-think'_ look that makes "Rogue" want to laugh, smirking instead. 

 

Levi notices the smirk, blushing slightly. "It's common courtesy, isn't it, to exchange names?" Is all he can come up with, but he still feels like it's a lame excuse. 

 

"Rogue" hums like he agrees---he thinks it sounds like something a low-life thug would say, but he sees the self-depreciating look in silver eyes, so he keeps his mouth shut. 

 

"If you stay, then can you handle learning my name?" He asks, chin resting in his palm. He starts to feel slightly reluctant to cut the other's hair so quick---if he stays, he'll cut it, free of charge, like everything else. 

 

Levi looks up, shock evident on his face, looking only slightly reluctant. He's heard things about "Rogue", like everyone else in the Underground, but he's never heard anything about him raping anyone or hurting kids---it was mostly him protecting them, and just not giving a fuck when he wasn't in a rage. 

 

He blinks slowly before nodding, saying a soft "Yes," wondering why his heart was pounding so fast. 

 

 

 

 

 

"Rogue" made a little nest near the bed, knowing there was an even lower chance of sleeping with Levi here than usual. 

 

He moves his head to the side of his pillow, keeping the wince from the rustle being made from the move, sounding like utensils cluttering in the otherwise silent night, save for the fire dying. 

 

He closes his eyes, images of the day, mostly Levi, playing in his mind. 

 

He's hopeless, it seems. 

 

He hears an almost inaudible sigh coming from the bed, the rustle of limbs moving restlessly under the covers. 

 

"Can't sleep, kid?" He asks quietly. He hears a hum, smiling at the quiet hey when Levi seems to realize the 'kid'.

 

"It's comfortable," Levi leaves it at that, as if that's explanation enough. 

 

And it is.

 

"Rogue" remembers when he first lived here, having a place to rest his head at night. It was still lonely as fuck, but years of being alone at night had made it seem normal.

 

But having another person, a person who he, as far as he's concerned, wouldn't mind seeing in the following mornings ( _mornings_ , you hear that brain? _Mornings_ ). 

 

"Do you...need something specific?" "Rogue" asks, feeling extremely awkward. He doesn't know what to do in this sort of situation. The closest his mother had told him to do in this situation is 'scream and thrash around' or 'make sure you know the person, please'. 

 

He feels like the latter was more of a personal one. 

 

The pregnant silence is deafening, heavy in "Rogue's" lungs. Fuck, what doe-

 

"I'm not sure what I want, Rogue," Levi says quietly. "Rogue" feels the same.

 

"Well, if your not sure of something, it's probably best you don't do whatever your not sure of," he says, more to himself than the other. He almost instantly regrets it, but then Levi turns it right around when he says,

 

"But what if I _really_ want it to happen?" 

 

Fuck. 

 

"Rogue" tightens his grip on his pillow, before letting out a slow breath. 

 

"What exactly is it that you really want to happen?" 

 

The silence lasts long enough for "Rogue" to understand the meaning for it. 

 

"You don't know my real name."

 

"I don't even know my own last name. And it's your own damned fault for not telling me your name. If you don't want me, then fucking say so," Levi says, sounding bitter. "Rogue" winces, would probably laugh if it were someone else. 

 

He sits up, blanket pooling at his waist. He turns, hearing his back pop, then gets up, walking toward the side of the bed Levi is facing. Resting a knee on it, dropping his hands on either side of the male's face, meeting blue-tinted silver with gold-tinted teal. 

 

"My name is Eren."

 

Levi continues to look up, before reaching up, brushing fingers into long, dark brown locks, seeing pointed ears. 

 

He's shocked, yes, but he's seen a lot of things in his life, and "Ro"--- _Eren_ , has been nothing but honest; kind, even. 

 

He looks back into half-lidded teal eyes, the gold melding beautifully with the deep green and pretty blue. 

 

"Have you ever had so big a secret, one that you wish to both scream out, and stash it away, so far away it disappears from existence?" He whispers, hot breath on Levi's cheeks, Levi's lips. 

 

He licks them, before nodding. 

 

"Once. It wasn't that big, but wearing girl's makeup and liking it as a child is hardly a secret worth keeping hidden like what you're implying," he whispers back. 

 

Eren lets out a huff of a laugh, letting a small smile slip onto his face. Levi is suprised by how much he is pleased by the sight before him. 

 

"I can turn into one of those monsters the people above have to deal with."

 

"Titans?" Levi asks, eyebrows furrowing together.

 

Eren nods, bringing his hair back to show his ears fully, then showing how blunt his teeth is more than the average human.

 

"I can heal from any wound," he says, and Levi thinks about earlier today, when Eren gave him his two knives, and how that was more of a bluff than anything. 

 

He isn't that angry, surprisingly. He's more emotional about the part what happened today---it feels like years ago. 

 

"Well, you don't eat people, do you?" Levi asks. Eren gives him a _'what-the-fucking-hell-do-you-think?'_ look. 

 

"Don't go around raping people? Hurting those helpless and innocent?" He continues, Eren saying a _'no, of course not.'_

 

"Then, you're not a monster; you're just not completely human," he says, running fingers through dark brown hair again. Eren gives him a look Levi can't describe, but it looks hungry in an utterly delectable way. 

 

"You're more human than most, it sounds. I can tell, from what I've been experiencing today; from what I've heard," he whispers. 

 

"Aren't you talkative today?" Eren asks, shifting his arms when Levi moves to lay on his back. 

 

Levi shrugs, before bringing his gaze back up to Eren's eyes from his collar bones that look _yummy_. 

 

Maybe he's a Titan shifter, too? 

 

"I'm just awkward; no ones ever been nice to me before, other than my mother, and she's dead," he says. Eren nods and hums in agreement. 

 

They stare at each other before Eren lays down beside Levi on the bed. 

 

"You're helping me wash the sheets on the floor tomorrow---and the bathroom."

 

Levi nods, before moving as close to the other as he could, wishing he could just jump into those arms already.


	5. Chapter 5

They slept that night back to back, the first time for each of them. 

 

Eren fell asleep wondering what exactly he was doing, awake for what felt like forever but was only an hour, much shorter than how late into the early morning he usual he stayed up. Levi fell asleep much earlier than Eren, wondering if he should stay with the mysterious man, wondering if it was attraction making him want to or his natural survival instincts. 

 

Eren woke up later than he usually did, having the best sleep he's ever had, even better than when his mother was alive.

 

_'Oh goddess, don't start thinking about her.'_

 

He sat up slowly, trying not to wake the still sleeping bundle of skin, bones, and soft looking hair beside him. He stretches his arms above his head, feeling more than hearing his bones creaking, smothering his yawn. He feels wide awake, but more relaxed. 

 

Fuck, if having the little shit next to him as he sleeps makes his nights easier to keep his eyes closed in a dreamless sleep, he'll deal with a teenager for as long as that snark will last. 

 

He looks back at said little shit (fuck is he short), seeing only the back of him, ravenette on his side, hair pooling around his head, in quite a craze. 

 

_'He looks like the type to have an undercut.'_

 

Well, if he decides to stay, Eren would gladly give him one. Although, now that the idea might become a real-life act, he thinks he'll miss the long hair---it isn't such a bad look on the youngster.

 

_'Don't use the word youngster---you're not that old, and you're not that creepy, no matter how much you think the little twerp is attractive.'_

 

Eren groans softly, blowing at a long strand of dark brown hair falling in front of his face, it coming back to the place it resides on moments before, annoyingly. Fuck, even his own hair wants to fuck with him. 

 

He starts when Levi (such a nice name, his mother chose wisely) breath skips, the room going almost completely quiet, save for the small 3-foot grandfather clock in the corner of the room. 

 

Levi breathes a slow breath in, then relaxes, breathing in deeply, in and out. 

 

He's cute. _Too_ cute to keep around and not end up liking, especially if he's as much of a jackass and clean freak as Eren. His mother taught him that cleanliness was some times the only thing you had, and that you cherish what you had and worked for the things you don't yet. 

 

She often emphasized _'yet'_.

 

Eren looks back at the grandfather clock, having not actually looked at the time _'dumb fuck'_ , seeing it was still early in the morning. He gets up slowly, making sure the blanket around Levi was still wrapped around him comfortably. 

 

He walks over to the fireplace, starting to fill the pot he had washed the night before with water from the jug he kept inside, making a mental note to go outside and fill it up again with the water in the wishing well a few feet from behind the little cottage he called home. 

 

He starts making tea, getting out the bread he had made not long ago, and the marmalade that was being kept cool in a small ice box near the fireplace. A breakfast his mother would make him, when she could, making sausages and eggs, a fruity jam instead of marmalade. When cooler weather came drafting into the Underground and she had more money, she'd make hot chocolate.

 

Traditional to their heritage, she had said. His father was the race his mother's family moved to, being a part of both of their cultures, Carla trying to give Eren a piece of her family's homeland food and her second home's. 

 

While he had a few good memories of his father, the man had left him, and he never heard of him again after his mother had died of a sickness no one would grant a cure for anybody in the Underground. 

 

He hears a quiet yawn from the direction of the bed, turning his head slightly to see Levi stretch his skinny body, looking similar to a cat; lithe and graceful, despite the ragged hair and unhealthy skinny form. 

 

He needed more bread than Eren did. 

 

"I'm not going to even ask if you're hungry; you look like you haven't eaten a damn thing in weeks. When you're awake enough to stand, there's tea here," Eren calls out, voice cutting through the quiet morning air, though his voice is actually pretty quiet. 

 

He wished he could open the shutters to see the morning sun his mother told him about, but he didn't have windows---or access to sunlight. 

 

He puts the heated bread onto a plate, placing the marmalade onto the table by the bread with a knife. If Levi used it against him, Eren thinks that he wouldn't mind dying from a being so beautiful. 

 

And that's when he stops with the crazy thoughts and start thinking rationally.

 

"When you're done we're cleaning this place up, then you can clean yourself up; I know you bathed yesterday, but I feel like your germs spread before I could contain them," he continues, Levi sitting on the pillow in front of the table opposite him, going straight for the black tea Eren made.

 

"That's hot, and strong. If you've never had it before, I'd suggest having small sips to get used to the flavor." 

 

Levi finally looks up at Eren, glaring with tires grey eyes, the fire reflecting in his eyes, blue swirling in the grey beautifully. 

 

Carla would've called those eyes everlasting. Eternal, timeless. Gorgeous in an ethereal, exotic way not common in the Underground, where everyone either had blue or brown eyes. 

 

Eren would agree tremendously. 

 

They eat together, the silence between comfortable in an utterly awkward way, the atmosphere slowly but surely suffocating Eren. He doesn't wish to rush the boy before him, but he needs to decide if living with Eren was something he wished to do, having the man train him, cook for him. Teach him life skills he learned from both his own parents and his own experiences. 

 

Levi finished his second piece of bread, leaving all of his crumbs on the plate (oh thank Goddess), drinking the last bit of his lukewarm tea. He drank it like a champ, making Eren wonder if he had drank the tea before. 

 

He sees those pretty, half-lidded light blue eyes, bow lips frowning. 

 

 _What_ , what does he _want_?

 

"I've decided that I want to stay with you, and become stronger," Levi says in one breath. Eren keeps quiet, more to look over Levi's face for what must be the twentieth time in the last five minutes, and to create unneeded suspense. 

 

He then shruggs, just to piss Levi off, saying a loose "Okay."

 

"Th-that's it--- _'okay?'_ " Levi asks, voice incredulous. Eren looks back up into grey-blue orbs, face and voice unemotional, calm. 

 

"Yeah, that's it. I asked you, and you agreed. You're what, fifteen? Sixteen? You're an adult, you can make you're own decisions, I'm not you're master. And I'm not going to throw a damned party; I'm the best at stealing, but fuck if I'm going to waste that on a party for two," he says, taking his last bite of bread, wiping his face and hands, before starting to wash the dishes in his pot meant for cleaning dirty dishes. 

 

"Go clean your hair and face, then help me clean this place up. I haven't in two days, I can practically hear the dust piling up."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need a beta...  
> Any suggestions for this or any other work is welcome, or something new.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like, DeSpeRatElY need a Beta. And not just for editing, but to get me out of these writer's block...funks(?)  
> Anyways, y'know the drill. Requests or whatever is welcome, don't like, I don't give a fuck. You do, imagine a short person giving you a hug magically, I don't fucking know.

It was approximately, Eren guessed, two weeks later, that their....relationship, if you could call it that, moved forward. 

 

Well, more like an old man with a stump for one of his legs trying to skip, was better. 

 

Eren never quite realized how bad at human interaction he was until he met Levi. Fuck, the realization hadn't quite crept in until two days into living with the other male. 

 

For the two weeks, all they've done is clean, Eren train Levi like the true warrior Eren knew Levi was inside, and sleep in the same bed. Oddly enough, it wasn't awkward, and as tempting as the idea was, they didn't do anything sexual. 

 

At this point, their whole relationship was platonic in a sense that the both of them was starting to care for the other on a personal level rather than a sexual one. While both Levi and Eren had feelings for each other, only growing more and more intense the longer the two was near the other, they were both awkward, and it'd be the first ever relationship the two would have. If either of them tried to pursue the other. 

 

While Eren silently berated himself to just grow a pair of balls already, Levi chastised himself for bothering the mystery of a man, for becoming more and more infatuated with him every day he was near him. 

 

Eren had noticed, though, how quickly Levi was to learn and master things. While his Achilles heel would always, in Eren's mind, would be drawing (which he found cute, for some odd reason) he was a master at everything else, it seemed. 

 

Eren had heard, while out on runs, taking Levi with him, that recently men and women from the military started to take interests in the people in the Underground. Eren speculated with Levi that it was probably for recruits, most likely for the Survey Corps. And while he could see how that would work, and why the military would do such a thing, it still disgusted him. 

 

To prey on those that have basically no other choice, leading them to their ultimate demise... It broke down a lot of what little hope he had for humanity. And while he could imagine and hope that the world would, one day, become a better place to live in like his mother had, he knew that there was little chance of that. 

 

That humans would ever stop being greedy, that there could be people out there everywhere kind hearted and not starving.

 

Levi seemed to feel the same. It made a stormy look pass over his features, his eyes looking gorgeous despite the angry look in his eyes. He was getting better at masking his emotions, something he refrained from doing, most of the time, whenever it was just the two of them in their little home. 

 

When Eren started to refer to it being _their_ home, he doesn't remember, but he doesn't correct his thoughts. It doesn't feel wrong, and Levi is looking more healthy and, dare he say, happy the longer he stays by Eren's side.

 

It was night, right now, the grandfather clock across the room from their bed indicating it to be past 11. Levi was laying on his side, facing away from Eren, the outline of his body looking as shapely as always even in the dark. Eren's... _abilities_ , allowed for his senses to be probably ten times more heightened than the average human. 

 

He didn't know if it was the same for actual Titans. Or, if there was others out there like him (which he didn't doubt for a second that there was), if they were as enhanced as his. 

 

He could hear Levi's heartbeat slowly get quicker, his breathing not as deep as it was when he was asleep. His breath stutters, back moving with the big deep breath he inhaled. 

 

Levi was still for a few minutes before he turned around, eyes even more narrow then usual, looking into Eren's immediately. 

 

"Eren," he whispers, turning to his other side completely. His hair was a mess, Eren thought fondly, wishing he could bring a hand up to stroke at the silky, black locks. 

 

"Levi," he answers, low voice as quiet as Levi's. The younger has a light pink tinge to his cheeks, his eyes burning a bright grey, the blue being swallowed by the almost concrete colour. 

 

Levi stays quiet, his heart beat going faster, making his breath quicken, the intakes hitching every so often. 

 

He slowly brings his body up from the waist up, hands holding him up from the bed. He moves closer to Eren, moving so he was hovering above him. Eren looked up at him from below almost expectantly, eyes with swirling green, blue and gold moving from one of Levi's features to the other, mostly his eyes and lips. 

 

He brings a tan hand up, larger than Levi's, to his pale cheek, the cheekbone jutting out from above the still there baby fat. The skin is so soft and smooth feeling, he can smell his scent from where he was. 

 

Levi's eyes can't seem to figure out where they want to stay, either. "I think you understand how I feel by now, right?" He asks, his head tilting to the side. 

 

Eren doesn't make any movement other than stroking his thumb against Levi's cheek, but the stutter it makes at the younger's words is enough of an answer for Levi. 

 

"And I suppose, that you don't feel the same?" He whispers, voice sounding embarrassed and on the verge of tears. It breaks Eren's heart. And he isn't quite sure what to do. 

 

He remembers, before he learned how to become stronger, that whenever he cried, his mother would push his face into her neck, stroking the tips of his ears and the top of his hands. She'd whisper her love for him, and sing in a foreign language no one knew anymore, though the people around him have said words similar to what his mother would say. 

 

So, Eren raises his other hand, to the back of Levi's head, lowering it and his own eyelids until there is only a few centimeters between their lips. 

 

"You should allow me to speak for myself, Levi," he whispers before bringing their lips together, in an almost ghost of a kiss. A tease as to what Levi wishes, what Eren wishes. 

 

He pulls back, smiling ever so softly at Levi's slowly opening eyes, his now bright pink blush. 

 

"We need to cut your hair, it makes you look ten," he teases, fingers tangling themselves into the strands. Levi's eyes narrow in mock-annoyance, doing a dramatic eyeroll.

 

"Well, excuse the fuck out of me," he mutters, looking to the side. Eren breathes out a laugh before bringing their lips together again, making full contact. 

 

He moves his hand down to Levi's back, making him lower himself to Eren's body. 

 

They kiss for quite a long time before Eren makes him go to bed, with the promise to cut his hair in the morning. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You guys should listen to deathbeds by bring me the horizon, it fits what I think Levi feels about Eren.   
> I'm thinking of doing a Tokyo ghoul/snk crossover,   
> A mental institution one with a slice of supernatural and psychological aspects,   
> A tribal au,  
> And a kitsune!Levi au.  
> Tell me what you think, because I'm not sure if I should do just one shots for some of them or make it into a story, so please review!  
> And if anyone wants to be a Beta for me, please let me know asap.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> On Twitter, look up @unap and @sn_kaky, those two art styles is how I imagine Eren and Levi in this equally (though with Eren's rogue titan hair).  
> Just FYI, if you read any of unap's fancomic's, you may come across past Levi/Erwin and/or Erwin/Levi/Eren, and in just Levi/Eren ones there is a sort of underlining weird father/son aspect with Erwin and Levi in them with Erwin being kind of creepy in my opinion, but whatever. I still love their art, I'm just an Erwin hater, and anyone's who've read the manga or at the very least have watched the No Regrets Ovas, you may or may not understand why he's not my favorite---hence why he isn't so fun in my works.   
> Too much rambling on my part, hope you enjoy, I guess *shruggs*

Levi sits on a stool in front of the bathroom mirror that wasn't here the whole month, he estimates, he's been here with Eren. 

 

Eren is currently combing through his hair gently, slowly as if he's memorizing the feeling. Levi doesn't mind, he's feeling slightly anxious; he's had this long of hair since he was a child, and to see it being cut in a few moments will probably give him flash backs of what he remembers of his mother. 

 

Eren seems to get out of whatever whirlwind of thoughts he was lost in, looking in Levi's reflection to get an affirmation to continue on from the younger. Levi nods once, looking at Eren's hands as he grabs the scissors---that look kind of dull---seeing Eren run the comb through a certain lock of hair before he hears, more so than feels, the strands being cut. 

 

Levi stays still, looking down at the sink unless Eren guides his head in a different angle, this process going on for a while until the grandfather clock in the other room rings it's low, dull drone. Levi wonders if someone would be able to hear it from outdoors, but throws that thought away in his mental wastebasket when he starts to get an anxious pain in his chest. 

 

He doesnt realize Eren is at the shaving part of doing his undercut until he feels the razor at the back of his head, trying to not back away from the sharp object. Eren stops every two swipes of shaving to wipe away the shaving cream and hair off of the straight razor on a white rag, his face calm. 

 

It takes probably a half hour to finish the process until Eren is completely satisfied with how his new hairdo looks, going so far as to run his hand through Levi's hair, fingers straying at the buzz of the prickly hair on the bottom. It makes Levi practically keen, wishing that Eren would do this nonstop. 

 

Eren eventually backs away, looking at Levi in the mirror. "Well?" He asks, one shapely dark brown eyebrow raised high. 

 

Levi turns around when he's done looking at himself in the mirror, feeling self-conscious from how long he was staring at his reflection, something he's never seen before he met Eren. 

 

"I love it," he says, bringing a hand to his hair, not being able to stop touching it. Something akin to a smile graces Eren's face, his hand going to Levi's neck. 

 

"Good, that's all I wanted," he leaves it at that, eyes not moving from Levi's. Levi isn't sure if he should try to kiss him like he had the night before. He wants to; fuck, he'd do it constantly if he could, but he isn't sure what exactly Eren wants out of this. 

 

Eren seems to make the decision for him, though, bending down to met Levi's gaze, hand moving from his pulse point on his neck to his chin to lift it up. 

 

"You're somehow more attractive with an undercut, and that seemed damn near impossible an hour ago," he whispers, eyes on Levi's bow-shaped lips before bringing his own to them lightly, tilting his head. 

 

Levi closes his eyes slowly, feeling all too serene for something as small as a kiss. But it feels somehow _right_ , in Levi's head, to do this. To not be doing this at all sounds horrible. He doesn't really care, at the moment, about the outside world. About anything but this moment, because it's just so precious for him not to feel absolutely ecstatic about. 

 

So he leans in more to Eren's kiss, going so far as to wrap his arms around Eren's neck, feeling hand grab his hips. And while Levi thinks that one day maybe the two of them could take a kiss like this a step forward, going into uncharted waters to something that would most likely give Levi complete ecstasy, he's more than content with just this. And if wanting this was so bad, he didn't mind being a bad guy at all.

 

 

 

 

 

By the time the end of that day, Eren and Levi can say that they are lovers and not wonder if the word was an accurate term for the two of them. 

 

And as wonderful the feeling is to be able to call the other his, there are other matters that need to be reviewed. 

 

The military, garbed in mostly Survey Corps uniforms, have been seen more and more recently. While the sources Eren had that were loyal to him (for protection and food) said that they haven't been anywhere out of the range of the opening to the Underground, it still worried Eren. 

 

What, or when, exactly would they meet and ultimately capture him and Levi. They have, in the short time they've been spotted and been around each other in the Underground, gained the reputation of the two strongest in the whole place. And Eren wouldn't be surprised if the Survey Corps hadn't not heard of them yet. Granted, when they did, they'd definitely want them to join, and if Levi and Eren agreed to it willingly the first time or not most likely did not matter to them. 

 

Rumor has been going around that the Commander of the Survey Corps, a man supposedly bigger than Eren, has been trying to find Levi and him. And that pissed Eren off beyond belief. Not so much about him, but more that he wanted _Levi_. 

 

Fuck, as if he'd let some man take Levi away from him. He wouldn't let Levi touch the Commander with a ten-foot pole if he could help it. Call him a possessive monster, but that man was an unknown threat, and he would not let his lover---no matter how strong he was, and he was; he rivaled Eren's strength, and that said something---be thrown into the mess above ground. The closest he wanted Levi to be near a Titan was with him. 

 

And he said so to Levi, who just shrugged and said 'alright.'

 

Ah, how he adored the little man. 

 

Eren shook his head, feeling the straps on the 3dmg to make sure they were sorted correctly. This wouldn't be the first time the two of them would have trained with the militaries gear, but Eren could never say he was completely satisfied with Levi and his training until they could do this crap with the both of their eyes closed; which would probably never happen, of Eren could help it. 

 

Maybe he was being overprotective, but Levi was someone he has come to care so much for in so little of time, and whether that was because the two of them have been lonely for a long time or not was something Eren could go over later. 

 

Levi was looking down at Eren, seeming to find no other thing to do but finding pleasure in it. It was enough to make Eren blush if his skin tone was a few shades lighter, similar to Levi's no longer sickly looking tone. Levi meets Eren's eyes, a small smile forming on his face, one that others would barely be able to place, but for Eren was enough for him to see his whole being basically brightened up. 

 

Eren returned the sentiment, grabbing the younger's hand to kiss his knuckles gently, biting the tip of his middle finger. Levi visibly shudders, a light blush forming on his face. "You're quite cute like that, but we need to do this. Later I can kiss the shit out of you," Eren whispers softly enough for Levi only to hear, never feeling safe enough unless they were in their cabin. 

 

They start to stretch again, this time with the maneuver gear on. Eren wasn't able to get one with a blade cartridge, but the gas tanks were plenty enough; they've been doing great on their runs, whether it was for food or to get something for a measly merchant who wanted more than what their hands could carry. 

 

They continued until Eren deemed them ready enough to actually go on their run now. They start out with a few simple twists and turns in the air until people look up at them, getting their eyeful until they seem to stop caring, going through their day once more. Eren is only a few feet from Levi, keeping him in his view clearly. They were to get a few papers for a merchant, getting in return soaps and teas meant for the royal family. While Levi thought that maybe it was a bit of an unfair trade; risking their lives for maybe five dishes of soaps and two leaf bags, but Eren assured the younger that he'd make sure it was worth the risk. 

 

And if the merchant or any one else made this more trouble than it was worth, hurting Levi, he'd make them pay. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ha hAHA! Cliffhanger!  
> I /suppose/ I'll make Farlan in the next chapter. Who knows *shruggs*  
> Hoped you enjoyed this crap, because my arthritis is kicking in for the third time today.


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God... I was in such a rut of a writer's block with this that I was like ,,,,,,, um, what even is my life anymore.  
> Anyways, any requests for this or other stories are always open. And your comments are always so nice and amazing to read, they make my day, so thank you to those who read my work and kudos them and shit. It's... appreciated, to say the least.

Levi couldn't help but to roll his eyes, his strain to make it all the more dramatic-looking making his eyeballs hurt, earning Eren's own eyeroll and silent scoff. 

 

The military were at it again, the 'patrolling' of the neighborhoods in the Underground, picking at people or taking them from here to the world above. Speculations and gossipers were saying that it was to recruit them into the military, willing or not. 

 

People were also saying that they were looking for Levi and Eren, considering how they must've found out one way or another that they were stronger than everyone here and had access to 3D Maneuvering Gear. While Levi had  put on a nonchalant face on when this information first came forward to him and his... lover?

 

Okay, not the time, Levi.

 

Anyways, he seemed to be calm and able to take in the news, but inside he was in an incredible whirlwind of worry and turmoil. 

 

Eren and him were just starting to get this whole thing going---though it didn't take that long---, living together and knowing that the other had feelings for him. It was stable and calm, unlike anything Levi's had in his life before. 

 

The closest thing to this he had was when he was under Kenny's care, but he was pretty shit at taking care of the small boy at the time, and he often disappeared until one day when he just up and left and Levi never saw him again. 

 

He kind of hopes that he will never see that fucking ugly mug again. 

 

As of right now, Eren and Levi were overlooking a group of thugs follow a blonde boy that couldn't be any older than Levi, who looked to be more of the smart type instead of strong. 

 

Eren hated it when people preyed on others---said often when it came up that they had Titans for that---but they both had a sense of understanding when it happened down here. 

 

People were desperate for food and shelter, to be clean and have a steady income. Hardly anybody here could trust any other person, though Levi had quickly earned Eren's and vice versa, it wasn't always the same for others. Hardly happened. 

 

Though, it still disappointed Levi when this sort of thing happened, robbing and possibly (more often than not) hurting someone to gain what you didn't have but needed. He was in such a position not that long ago, though he only took from merchants and those who had more than they needed when they came down below. 

 

"What are we gonna do, Er- Rogue," Levi asked, almost blurting out Eren's name. Eren didn't like the idea of people knowing more about him then they should, another thing he said. 

 

"Nothing, if those shitty, dirtbags do so as well. If the other little shit needs the help, maybe we'll help. You can't judge a book by its cover," Eren hums, looking around them like a man on the run, which they were.

 

Levi wouldn't even had known what a book was had it not been for Eren. He had even told the younger man that he'd teach him to read and write when they got the chance. He felt so greatful, though it'd probably take an eternity to express to the tall brunnette how much he and everything he had done for him had meant to Levi. 

 

Levi just nods and continues to watch the boy and the group he had trailing him. The boy seemed to be carrying something, and by the way the men behind him were tailing him and for how long, it was important. The blonde was doing a terrible job of hiding the fact he was doing so, even with how high up Eren and him were up on the crumbling building's rooftop. 

 

At the touch of Eren's large, warm hand on his shoulder, he looked up from his perch to see Eren nod towards a set of military personnel below, not that far behind the boy and the group of thugs. 

 

"It seems Blondie has something everyone wants a piece of."

 

Levi sighs, already feeling drained from the whole of this situation, despite his veins being filled with adrenalin from all of this and being so close to Eren. 

 

Why couldn't they just lay about like they did the night before and so on? 

 

Eren seemed to be able to guess what he was thinking, laughing on his breath, and yet it was still the most beautiful sound Levi has ever heard other than his mother's own laughter.

 

"I feel the same, little one, but we have things to do and settle. When this is all over, I'll make you a nice dinner, you can take a bath, and we'll just lay in bed together, alright?" Eren comforted him, a soft, yet small, smile on his face. 

 

Beautiful. Just... Beautiful.

 

Levi nodded, feeling comfort, determination and a surge of hope swell inside of him at Eren's words. They both looked down at the group of people, Levi still feeling that twinge of slight fear, for Eren and himself. 

 

"Let's go, dear."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Awsomekiller666 for kind of collaborating with me and supporting me on this work and other things, it was incredibly nice and very awesome (see what I did there) to speak with you.  
> I also wanted to dedicate this work to another writer on here, 'edwardelrichistheawesomeness'. They make great Eren/Levi stories, and other works for different ships, and they made this one story called 'Hush Now' that has a few aspects at the end I wanted to use for this, since it was very interesting and altogether beautiful for the storyline. The work also has a continuation called 'A Dance Amongst Demons', I'm sure it's called---you'll see it on their works page.


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's like I don't know whether or not to do a time skip to where they're (Eren and Levi, if that wasn't obvious) in an intimate relationship or to just keep it at this pace or not, it's making me go insane.  
> And I'm sorry for the wait, I'm finding I have quite the writer's block with this work...

"Alright, see, you're better at this than you said you'd be; you already know the difference between diphthongs and digraphs. I didn't know until maybe two weeks into learning all of this shit."

 

Eren is leaning close to Levi on the table, looking over Levi's handiwork. It's only been two days since their short watching of sorts of 'Blondie,' as Eren nicknamed him. 

 

Nothing really happened, and Levi wasn't sure how to feel about that. The guy obviously had something of some importance, and those men were tailing him for quite a long while before they just stopped. Eren and Levi had followed after him afterwards, Eren saying it'd be best to know more about him to see if it was even worth the effort of watching over him. 

 

Somehow, they lost him, and even with Eren's Titan-abilities giving him heightened senses, his scent had been practically scratched out from his presence as the blonde male went into a busy part of the Underground.

 

Eren, being bitter about the lost, decided that Levi's literacy was a bigger deal than some schmuck (Levi needed to remember that word, cursed one or not).

 

Levi appreciated it, though, even if it kind of felt like Eren was doing so just so he wouldn't keep trying to think up of ways to figure out what that blonde guy had. Levi just tried even harder to take in what Eren taught him, knowing that this was of great importance. 

 

Levi practically glowed from the praise, his face alight in a light blush, though with the weight of the warm temperature his cheeks were giving off, he suspects he is a brighter shade of red than he would hope for. 

 

Eren smiles ever so softly at him, making him turn even more red, bringing a hand to the top of his head, fingers running through black strands of silky hair. 

 

"I suppose it's time to eat, isn't it? I can't have you fall over because I'm not feeding you regularly and correctly."

 

"You don't need to worry about me so much, I've been taking care of myself for a while before you came along," Levi sasses back, knowing that he had the biggest pout on his face by how Eren seems to take great pleasure in looking at him. 

 

"Of course you did; your very smart and strong, don't ever think otherwise, sweetheart. I just want to take care of you because your so cute," he teases, his hand lowering to caress his flushed cheek. 

 

"And that ass is surprisingly full and supple, I'd love to see what it looks like when you're eating healthy food."

 

"Eren!" Levi squeals, immediately he hadn't said anything with how high his voice had gotten. Eren just laughs at him, bringing his practically steaming head to kiss his hair. 

 

"So cute," he hears Eren mutter, getting up to get started on their food. 

 

That was the first time in two days that Eren had initiated contact---of _that_ kind of affection---between them. Levi had become worried that it was all in his head, and he can't help but to wonder what was Eren doing, exactly. What he was thinking. 

 

Because surely, when you are in a more-than-platonic-relationship, you don't just go and be all sweet and lovey-dovey one day, and then be awkward and uncooperative the next few. And while Eren hadn't been comforting or respectful, he hadn't been... 

 

He hadn't shown that romantic interest towards Levi that he had that one night.

 

While Levi was going through his last few days' inner turmoil, taking a moment to take in that _these_ were his problems now, Eren stirs the food in the boiling pot, eyes never leaving the contained mix of ingredients. 

 

The space between the small, malnutritioned ravenette and him was tense and awkward at the moment, and no matter how many times he opens his mouth to say _something_ , all that makes its presence known is the flaming ember. 

 

He knew that, at some point, he was going to fuck up this relationship. He was incredibly stupid as to think that this beautiful, strong person who has obviously been through a lot despite his obvious young age (hopefully not _too_ young), would wish to be anything more than protector and protectee. It was ludicrous at best. 

 

Trying not to growl out in frustration with himself and his stupidity, he places the now fully-cooked food on the appropriate dishes, placing the smaller portioned one in front of his would-be lover, if fate and life were kind to him. 

 

Levi seems to be in a trance of sorts like he was, eyes coming into focus at the small tap of the glass on the wood of the small table, looking from the food to Eren. 

 

"Ah, sorry. Thank you, Eren... for everything, I don't deserve any of this."

 

What the fuck?

 

"What do you mean?" Eren inquires, brown eyebrows furrowing in slight frustration and absolute confusion, luckily only the latter being evident in his tone of voice. 

 

Levi seems to want to curl in on himself, though whether it was stubbornness or sheer will, Eren was sure it was something the smaller male was full of as he sat up straighter, seeming to accept something he had concocted up in that beautiful head of his. 

 

"I've been through a lot, and have done _horrible_ things, like a lot of people have done here. But, there are others more in need than I am---was. And the fact that you chose _me_ to take care of...

 

"It's," he continues after taking a deep intake of breath. "I can't explain it. I'm not the best at speaking, but I just want you to understand that no matter what our relationship may be, that you have my indebtedness and absolute respect. You're an amazing person, and... yeah."

 

Eren just blinks for a few moments. It's been so many years since someone's said anything half as nice as that to him, and that was only his mother speaking to him, filling him with praises and love. 

 

_Oh, Levi..._

 

"You shouldn't feel like that, you know," he says, not exactly knowing where he was going with this, but felt the need to let Levi know that he deserved the best. Sure, they haven't known each other for very long, but to Eren he was as easy to read as it was for him to cur vegetables to make a stew. 

 

"I chose you for, somewhat selfish reasons. ' _Chose_ ' is a poor word choice in my opinion, but I did so because I wanted to be close to you," he continued, seeing Levi blush once more, looking as confused as Eren did moments before. 

 

"You're a beautiful, strong person, Levi; it's clear as rain water. You're incredibly enigmatic, and I wanted to know _why_ , and the more I learned about you, the more I wanted of you. I want whatever you'll let me have, be near to."

 

He can't stop, a flood-gate of sorts opening and falling down to the seams from his throat; and seeing Levi's sparkling blue-grey eyes and his expressions that would seem bored to others, but showing a million and one feelings to Eren, he lingers.

 

"If you'll let me, I wish to court you. I want to protect you in any way I can, whether just teaching you things while we're in a platonic relationship or not, I just want to be near you. I'm full of shit that's going to be hard to deal with, but I'd wait on hands and feet to wait for your answer to this."

 

Levi just continues to stare at him, and Eren wonders if maybe he said the wrong things, that dropping this type of bomb on the young man was too much too soon. Levi just said he's been through tough shit, and Eren pours out his feelings with his heart out on his sleeve just to see if he can snogg and maybe in the future make love with this person who needs help in any way he can get it.

 

But Levi just surprises him like he's been doing since he's met him only a few, seemingly long, days ago. 

 

Smiling, the biggest and softest yet, he brings his hands to Eren's cheeks from across the small table, leaning over it to kiss him. 

 

Eren's never felt so happy from such a simple act before. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so tempted to have smut in the next chapter or two...


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I get so confused as to what to write for this, but when I get the energy/courage to, I just say 'fuck it' and end up writing what I feel; so sorry if this feels forced, or awkward---I'm an awkward person with no romantic experience because of said awkwardness, so....

Eating the food was easier after that; the air was more clearer, the spices Eren had used more tangy and ripe, the pillows they sat on more comfortable under his legs. 

 

Levi was honestly scared when Eren had started to talk about how amazing he thought he was. He didn't think he deserved the praise, these past few days' experiences. And maybe they were moving a little too fast for how short of a time they've known each other, but Levi's never been in contact with a greater person. 

 

In the Underground, especially permanently and on the streets, you learn body language and how to asses both a situation and a person's goals. What they wanted, how they'd act, what they may be thinking. And with that came the sometimes difficult task of reading an unreadable person's emotions. 

 

With Eren---Rogue, when they met---it was hard. All he saw was a large man with pretty eyes and skin and an outstretched hand that screamed memories and hardships. It wasn't that uncommon, either, for someone _to_ have a tough life here, but what Levi could decipher in the swirling unknown that was Eren's eyes were filled with sadness and understanding.

 

Eren _knew_ how and what Levi was feeling right now, right then. And it was so weird and too healthy of a thing for him to handle. When he took that hand, he felt so much more numb than before for a whole other reason. 

 

Before, it was because he _had to._ If he felt what emotions were swirling in his chest and in the back of his mind, he would've had a mental breakdown by now; probably multiple ones. Whereas when he met Eren, he felt numb because what he was feeling was so overwhelming and unknown to him that he didn't know how to respond to it correctly. Suppress it or acknowledge it?

 

He kept up his guard, though. Just because someone was pretty and seemed to be trustworthy didn't always mean that they were, despite how much that feeling oozed off of Eren. He seemed so easy to fall into that way, though. He practically screamed safety. 

 

It was what made Levi trust him, those eyes and hands. They were both big and emotion-filled. Memories trying to break through and spill for the world to see, but his mind not letting the man be vulnerable for once. 

 

Maybe he was, once, and that was why he was so emotionally constipated before. Levi could relate on a spiritual level, almost. 

 

Which was what had made him so surprised and scared when he had practically spilt his guts out onto the table between them for Levi to claw through on the chance he'd like what he found. 

 

It was... weird. It was an insufficient word at best, but it was all Levi could think of. His vocabulary wasn't top notch.

 

Now, they sat in silence, food finished and dishes washed, drying on a cloth over a piece of wood nailed into the wall by the stove. Levi's heard that fire and wood don't make a great mix, but somehow it was all the Underground was available to other than bricks, which was more expensive and often had some type of mold attached to it. 

 

At least wood was easy to replace. 

 

"What, exactly, do we both want from this?" Levi doesn't remember who had asked that, but he knew it was important. It had been eating at his mind, what Eren may want, what he was fishing for. 

 

"What do we _need_ from this?" Was another question. It's all he feels like he ever has, and it sucks on a tremendous level. 

 

"Better yet; what do we both plan to do?" 

 

After those three questions, they both sat still and stared at each other, seeming to try and find the answers from body language itself, the light casted from the dying fire all Levi would've been able to use to do so. He doesn't know, really, if Eren has the ability to see in the dark, though he wouldn't doubt it. Eren is a man of many capabilities and features---if seeing shit clearly in complete darkness was a thing, then Levi just hoped he didn't look stupid as he slept. 

 

"I want for us to be as happy as we can be together," Eren states, one cheek rested in the palm of his hand. The action itself is full of boredom and being absolutely _done_ with something or someone, but Levi knows enough about Eren that this means a lot to him, as well. 

 

"I do, too. If none of this works out, then I'd be crushed, but I want the best for both of us. We should at least _try_ to have this kind of relationship instead of letting it tease us," Levi answers, being as truthful as he could without getting overly romantic. That was all he needed; to be seen as some sort of punk, girly-boy. Men who thought they were bigger and better than him learned, in the end, how much of a 'girly-boy' he really was, as well as how much it hurt when he punched and kicked at them until they were bloody and bruised. 

 

Perhaps it was bad publicity or actions, but people had learned not to mess with _the_ Levi after the third time. 

 

"That's... good. That's great. I'm glad, I want the same. For however long, if we're compatible that way, then I want... that," Eren stumbles, and it makes Levi wonder just how much experience Eren has in these types of relationships. He wonders if Eren has _any_  sort of experience in _any_ type of relationship---platonic, romantic, sexual. 

 

"I just... want what's best for you. If you're uncomfortable or confused about something, or upset, I want you to tell me, regardless if it hurts me or not. I want complete honesty, because if I can't trust you with what you tell me about how you feel, I can't trust you at all."

 

"Agreed," is all Levi says, and to be honest, it's all he really needs, right now. He has a somewhat (what feels like) steady home, and someone he can confide in and trust. Someone he may end up falling in love with. 

 

He doesn't know what that would feel like, or how he'd know should it happen, but he feels like it's a valid possibility. With Eren, especially what he had revealed to him days ago---what feels like years ago, in this timeless place---anything seems to be possible. 

 

And so, he nods firmly, his hands that were caressing each other on top of the table now laying by each side, almost calling out to Eren's to reach forward and touch them. 

 

He gets a better answer when Eren moves around the table to sit beside him and hugs him, larger body wrapped around his own, and he feels safe. 

 

He feels safe.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time skips and internal monologues in third person up ahead, so I'm sorry if this isn't as enjoyable as Levi riding Eren would be *shrugs*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I've decided that this story shall come to its end rather quickly---smut will be in the fourteenth chapter (I'll put a warning on the chapter summary in case any of you forget), and fluff shall happen in the next and perhaps final chapter.  
> Thank you for reading, and I hope as you (for everyone's case, enjoying what you're seeing) reading, your day/night is lovely and productive

They slept that night peacefully, and the nights after that as well, the days brighter despite the fact that the sun didn't shine in the Underground. Eren was more apparent in his efforts to be affectionate, and Levi tried harder to ease into the ministrations of being in an relationship. 

 

Its been weeks, and Eren's been busy teaching Levi how to work the stolen 3dmg he has, and how to fight 'properly,' since apparently Kenny hadn't taught him how to fight correctly. 

 

He thinks Eren is full of shit when he, even with his malnutrioned body, is able to take down the taller male more than five times. 

 

When Eren isn't practically dueling with Levi, their 'days' are spent trying to figure out what exactly that one blonde male had that had gained the attention of both street thugs and the fucking military themself. He had left the ravenette and brunette stumped, making the latter more irritated by the fact that they couldn't find him after that. 

 

Levi tried to comfort him as best as he could, but he was feeling shitty about it as well, and having someone who was hurt trying to make another hurt person feel better was pretty shitty. They decided after a day filled with arguments and awkward, tense silences that they shouldn't dwell on the mission of sorts. 

 

Levi's been staying in the cabin that was now both Eren and his home for what Eren had assumed was five months, now, and he's never felt more healthy. Eren fed him three, sometimes up to five times a day, made sure he had at the very least washed himself once, and that his hair was regularly cut to his choice. 

 

It was... perfect, and as Levi laid in one of Eren's shirts and underwear, feeling somehow more mature and definitely more happy than he's felt since---since. 

 

Ever. He's never felt this happy before. Only sad and angry and numb. But Eren filled with him with hope and happiness and warmth, and he didn't know how to make Eren feel the same, but he hoped that what he has been doing is enough. 

 

It has to be. 

 

 

 

 

 

Levi shifted his bare legs languidly on the bed beneath the thin sheet, his eyes its usual half-open. His breath came out in little sighs, and each intake and out made Eren feel like both the luckiest person in the entire world and the biggest piece of shit. 

 

He's yet to tell Levi the full truth of his being a Titan shifter, has yet to tell him his full past. How his brain worked, what he wanted to do to Levi. And somehow, the beautiful little brat was still here, still squeezed himself by Eren's side, into his arms as they laid in bed to sleep. 

 

It was weird in a multitude of emotions that contradicted each other and fought for dominance, all of which made him feel too much of one thing until a tinkling of another emotion turned into the most domineering, in which the cycle would then continue until he wished to shove a spoon so far into his eyes that he'd stab his brain. 

 

Not possible, but the idea sounded a lot more pleasurable before Levi was in his life, after his mother was no longer in it. 

 

Fuck emotions, Eren thinks as Levi shifts once more, breath hitching before he once again calmed down, his chest moving a slow but meaningful up and down. He was so beautiful, so special in Eren's eyes. 

 

So pale, he wanted to sink his tee-

 

' _Damnit, not again,_ ' he thinks as he shoves his face in his hands, the awful feeling of self-centered anger and regret filling his chest until he felt as though the outer walls 'upstairs' were on top of him. 

 

He felt his Titan instincts show themselves whenever he got too... aroused by Levi. He felt the usual human reactions, but beneath it all was the need for him to either make Levi his _mate_ or his _meal_. Which was... quite the decision to make, though it seemed obvious considering the choices. 

 

As he sat shirtless and Levi-less on the floor before the bed, his body shook in an effort to not do something he may regret. 

 

What that was, he didn't know. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been thinking of maybe doing a story that based off of Breaking Bad---like Grisha is Walter White and Levi is Jesse, and Eren is Grisha's son but he somehow knows Levi (I don't think he'd make a ton of appearances, but the ereri ship would still be there). Let me know if I should, thank you!

**Author's Note:**

> One last fic before I'm either deported for being half Mexican or sent into a concentration camp for being trans and pan cus of Trump  
> Thanks to my readers, and to Trump voters


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